A Hero's Guide
by AkaiAoi
Summary: The Hero of Time awakens after seven long years, and is greeted by a single light amidst the shadows. This story follows them and their struggles. The hero who became a legend, and the Sheikah who struggles to become his guide... and his soulmate. Link/OC


**Right-O. This is a new fanfic I've been meaning to submit for the longest time. Don't worry, I am planning to follow through with this one. It's been almost TWO YEARS since I submitted something. I can't believe that I'm actually putting this up, but I am a bit older and a bit wiser now... hopefully...**

**This fic will introduce you to another fabulous OC, Ming Numara (Yes, I totally stole that name from _Lost Odyssey _because I suck at making my own names_. _Gomenazai). Ming will kind of replace Sheik in this fic, so if you just LOVE Sheik, or Zelda for that matter, I suggest you press the Back button right away.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a damn thing. Except my OC, but not the name T-T**

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><p><em>The Ocarina of Time opened the door. The Hero of Time, with the Master Sword, descended here.<em>

The words, written in ancient hylian, were carved into the altar. The sacred keys hovered above the black marble platform before the Door of Time, the passage which had been opened seven years ago, and then sealed shut again by the forces of evil.

Seven years ago... when the disgraced Impa had returned from the shattered ruins of Hyrule Castle, having failed her duty to protect the royal family and more importantly the Princess of Destiny; Zelda.

Yes, the princess was dead, and the kingdom of Hyrule overthrown by chaos and despair. Raped of all its former glory and plagued by all kinds of terrors. Natural disasters, morbid beasts and the walking dead.

Ming Numara of the Sheikahs visibly shuddered at the thought of the horrors she had faced in order to enter the abandoned temple. Her soft features consorted in disgust and fear, as they always did whenever her mind recalled the monstrous abominations that stalked about the streets of the former capital city of Hyrule.

The disgraced Impa, once the guardian of Kakariko Village and the leader of the Sheikah Tribe, had disappeared during the aftermath of that disastrous night seven years ago, leaving behind a trail of theories and rumors among the remaining Sheikahs. Some would even say that she had betrayed the royal family and left his royal highness and the princess at Ganondorf's mercy. It didn't really matter, though. Impa had failed her kin and kind. She was disgraced and reviled. Ming herself had left her home village not one year ago to assist her fellow Sheikahs in Kakariko, and she would not - she_ could_ not - believe that the great Impa would lower herself to serve the powerful impostor who thought he was king. There were other rumors, however, that had not fallen on deaf ears. She had listened eagerly to the stories about the royal family's secret heirloom, the Ocarina of Time, and the brave hero that would return one day and vanquish the King of Evil. The Hero of Time, who would emerge from within the Sacred Realm...

Ming had put herself at a great risk by wandering so close to Ganondorf's lair. But now, as she stood before the gateway to the Sacred realm, she decided that it was all worth it. Because she knew now that the legends were true. The Hero of Time existed behind that closed door and would return someday. There was still hope.

She wondered, if she were to tell her fellow clansmen about this, would they believe her?

...

...

...

Her thoughts shattered as a sinister rumbling sound reached her ears. Dust fell from the ceiling as the ground beneath her feet and the great walls surrounding her trembled ominously, catching her off guard and making her fall flat on her rear with a shocked gasp.

"What in the name of the Gods...!" she cursed panickedly. Clutching her staff until her knuckles turned white, she tried to stand upright but fell to the floor again, this time on her stomach, as the quaking intensified tenfold. Very soon, the ancient construction would give up on her, and she would be buried beneath ruins and dust and legends. What a dreadful way of dying, even in these dark times.

But then it stopped, as suddenly as it had begun. Ming lay motionless on the cold marble floor, trying to steady her labored breathing and gather her panicked thoughts. A few seconds passed before she realized that the world was still again, and she managed to stand even though her head was spinning and her legs were shaking uncontrollably. She jumped slightly and her eyes widened as another rumbling sound, followed by a noise that reminded her of a giant boulder rolling down a slope echoed across the hall.

The Door of Time was opening up.

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><p>She had expected... something else entirely. A fabled knight in a golden armor, graceful and strong and ageless. She had <em>not<em> expected a young man, maybe a year or two older than herself, dressed in lincoln green accompanied by a fairy who was resting her wings upon his shoulders. But he held the Master Sword in his hand with such ease, as if it had always belonged there. He was - he _had_ to be - the chosen one, it could not be anyone else.

For a short time, they simply stared at each other. Ming studied the hero. She resisted the urge to giggle at his strange green hat, spared a single glance for his sandy blonde hair and marveled at his broad shoulders and his piercing azure blue eyes that had the same mischievous glint as the eyes of a child. The hero studied her just as intently. Her current pose made him quirk an eyebrow in amusement and confusion. She was leaning against an armored wooden staff which she was holding in a firm grip. Her skin was pale and her black shoulder-length hair was a bit ruffled, her clothes were wrinkled, her dark amethyst eyes slightly disoriented and her breathing heavy. She looked as if someone had grabbed her by the waist and spun her around in a wild dance for hours, at least.

"**Who are you?**" the hero's pixie friend asked the stranger in a clear, high-pitched voice.

Ming blinked. "I-I'm Ming Numara. Survivor of the Sheikahs," she said uncertainly. Clearing her throat, she added dumbly; "You are the Hero of Time."

The young man smiled wryly and nodded. "I guess I am." He walked down the small staircase. His eyes narrowed slightly, but never letting her out of his sight. "What are you doing here?"

"I've been waiting for you, Hero of Time."

The hero stopped in his tracks, giving her a questioning, almost hostile look with those piercing blue eyes of his. The childish glint was nowhere to be seen. "For me?" he asked apprehensively. "Why?"

"**She is not a threat**," the pixie said, and to be perfectly honest Ming couldn't argue with that. She had never been a very good warrior and would never be able to defeat him even if she wanted to.

"It's...," she didn't really know how to answer him. Wasn't it obvious, anyway? If he was truly the chosen one, then he must have seen _some_ extent of Hyrule's torment. And _why was he looking at her like that?_

"It's not just me. All of Hyrule have been waiting for you. Hyrule _needs_ you now more than ever, Hero." The weight of her words descended on them both. "It's been seven long years," she continued, her voice was trembling now. "Our world has changed."

The hero sighed heavily and his shoulders slumped. It was a depressing sight to behold. He looked crestfallen. So much older than he actually was; he looked like eighty and he was probably not older than eighteen. He looked so defeated and his journey had not even begun yet. His fairy companion fluttered about, and he smiled sadly. "Heh," he chuckled grimly, and Ming noticed that he had clenched his fists in frustration. "I know."

Ming's face fell and for a moment, she felt for him. He had been gone from their world for many agonizing years, and awakened only to find out that everything he'd left behind had been turned to ashes. Seven years... Gods, that would make him ten, maybe eleven years old when he was sealed away in the Sacred Realm. Unthinking, she raised her hand carefully and stroked the hero's cheek reassuringly. It was a simple gesture, but it made the funniest expression cross his handsome face; a mix of shock and confusion and fading frustration. Ming had to resist the urge to giggle again. He was kind of cute, this fabled and astonishingly young hero...

"Don't give up," she said softly. "Be a hero."

There was a pregnant and thoughtful silence between the two of them. She absent-mindedly pulled back her hand, and was surprised by how the warmth of his skin lingered on her fingertips.

...

"Rauru told me...," the hero finally said, more to himself than to the girl in front of him. He left the sentence hanging, leaving Ming utterly clueless. Rauru... the name had a familiar ring to it. Had she read it somewhere before? She had read a great many texts during her sixteen years of age...

"...I don't even know where to start."

His pleading eyes met hers. Ming stiffened. What was she supposed to say now, was the great hero expecting some kind of guidance or advice? She had never been a useful guide or counsellor, and wherever she guided him now could govern all of their fates.

"Um... well," she began, choosing her words with _extreme_ care. "Some say that in order to advance you have to seek your roots and make peace with your past..." It was a common saying among the Sheikahs, and it had never seemed more foolish, or more completely devoid of wisdom than now.

Nonetheless, the hero looked deep in thought, as if he was actually taking her words into consideration. And then his eyes widened as an answer dawned upon him.

"Well, hero?" she asked, hopeful. The young man's eyes met hers again. A boyish grin spread across his face and he nodded firmly.

"I know what I must do."

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><p><strong><strong>Okay, I'm probably gonna get stoned to death by Zelda and Sheik lovers for submitting this. I DON'T HATE ZELDA, okay? I just don't think she'd fit in very well in the story. This chapter didn't came out the way I wanted it to, but hopefully you understand that:<strong>**

****Zelda is dead *hides from angry mob*****

****Ming replaces Sheik in this story. She is guiding Link, albeit a bit hesitantly, and will continue to do so in future chapters. I didn't make a description of her clothes. Just imagine her in anything you prefer for now.****

**Impa is a tragic hero, and has been banished from Kakariko (yes, I know that part is iffy. Don't worry, she's still the sage of shadows and will appear later)**

**Link is a bit angsty. His name isn't revealed in this chapter. It's in Ming's POV (sort of), and she doesn't know his name yet.**

**TO BE CONTINUED.**


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